Senators discuss how to create budget for Special Committee hearings

When the chair could not be appointed, the focus of the meeting then shifted to an agreed process through which a budget will be created to finance the undertaking. At what cost will the senate investigation into the goings-on at the Immigration and Nationality Department during April 2011 and September 2013 come to taxpayers? It’s a figure that is yet to be tabulated but will include allowances for a range of provisions, including secretarial and legal support. Once generated however, the budget will only cover the remainder of the fiscal year. Allocation of funds for the ongoing work of the Senate Special Select Committee will be factored into the 2017 budget.

Dr. Carla Barnett

Dr. Carla Barnett

“One business that we really need to deal with as a matter of urgency is the funding for the work of this committee. That funding, following the rules of the Finance and Audit Act, requires that we put a budget together, that that budget goes through the process of supplementary approval. It’s not a lot, it’s not going to be the amount that would require it to be presented to the House in advance but we do need in the Ministry of Finance since we are in the process of revising the budget to the end of the year, to be in a position to allocate adequately to the work of this committee. So I have asked for there to be a discussion. It is in the remit of the Clerk of the National Assembly to determine the additional resources that he needs in order to ensure that there is adequate secretarial and transcription support, recording support, legal and accounting support. Whatever is required for the working of this committee and as we do business in government, the approval would be only for the rest of this financial year because at the next financial year we would provide, if this committee is still operating, would provide the resources for the next financial year. So we want to be sure that we agree on that process for the Clerk of the National Assembly to be putting together the budget for the working of the committee so that those funds can be identified, set aside and the committee can be assured of adequate resources to do its work.”

Lee Mark Chang

“We don’t want to prolong this public inquiry too long at all. All those in favor kindly say I. Yes. I think the I’s have it. Okay ladies and gentlemen of the media.”

Dr. Carla Barnett

“Can I make one suggestion that members of the committee if you already know you are going to be here and not going to be here to communicate that information to the clerk and he can share it so that we can prepare a proper calendar because I already know that there are dates on which I am not going to be available as well. So let us do that and just communicate those dates so that we can know when we’re planning for the committee to include those dates as meeting dates.”

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